Inhaler



June 9, 1953 L. L. LEONAITIS 2,641,255

INHALER Filed March 51, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

Jemard J. Jeozzaziz's 4/ Y1. gig? Patented June 9, 1953 INHALER Leonard L. Leonaitis, North ChicagoJlL, assignor to Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application March 31, 1949, Serial No. 84,530

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and improved inhalers and more specifically to inhalers adapted to dispense powdered medicament for ingestion through the oral and the nasal passages.

Recently the medical profession has acquired a new technique in the treatment of respiratory ailments. This improved technique is the use of a finely powdered medicament which the'patient breathes into his respiratory passages by inhalation from devices containing the powdered medicament.

Figure 1 is a section of an inhaler according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a section of another embodiment, Figure 4 is an elevation, and Figure 5 is a plan view of the same;

Figure 6 is a perspective of a closure for the inhaler of Figure 3;

Figures 7 and 8 show a modified closure for the inhaler of Figure 3;

Figure 9 is the top plan view of the closure of Figure 7.

The inhaler of Figure 1 consists of the tubular body E of glass or transparent material, the outlet end-piece Z, and the inlet end-piece 3. The outlet 2 and the inlet 3 are frictionally fitted onto the body I, which contains a cartridge 4. The cartridge 4 is a cup-shaped container having a perforated end 5, such as a screen, perforated disc, etc. In operation, the patient inserts the mouthpiece B into his mouth, inhales, and the air passing through the inhaler via the inlet 3 causes the cartridge 4 to rise and strike the outlet 2 as indicated in dotted lines 4 in Figure l. The first part of the inhalation by the patient causes the cartridge to rise to the top releasing a small portion of the medicament by the impact. The projection 8 functions as a piston, rendering this action more positive. The remainder of the inhalation sweeps the chamber clear of the medicament. Alternatively, the patient may insert the nose-piece 1 into his nostril for nasal medication. The patient may close either outlet 6 or i wholly or partially when he is using the other, and if he does, he increases the amount of air entering inlet ll, causing the cartridge 4 to rise faster, strike harder and release more medicament.

The inhaler of Figure 3 comprises a body [0, and end fittings l5. Notches it are cut in the body NJ, and the end fittings l5 have registering slots I1. For use, a cartridge 4 is inserted into the body It, and the end fittings are placed in each end of the body Ill, so that the 2 slots I! register with the notches it. The pa tient places one end of the inhaler in his mouth and inhales, causing the cartridge 4 to rise to the position indicated in dotted lines t and the impact with the end fitting 15 causes the release of a portion of the powdered contents into the air stream. Continuing the inhalation, the chamber is swept clean of the powdered rnaterial, since no further agitation of the cartridge occurs.

In Figures 7 and 8 a modified closure is shown using the simple tube 1 of Figure 1. For use, one cartridge is placed in a tube and the exterior closures 2!] are rotated so that passage 2! of each stopper i9 registers with the passage 22 of its closure 2t. Again for use, the patient inserts one end into his mouth and inhales causing" the cartridge to rise, release powder, and sweep powder into the patients mouth.

In Figure 7 I have shown a methodoi packaging the inhaler with three cartridges. The cartridges 4 have a covering 28 which retains the powder in the cartridge during shipment. When it is desired to use the device, one end of the body I is opened by removing closure 23 and stopper i9, and the three cartridges are removed from the body It, and the covering 26 is removed from one of the cartridges. The cartridge is inserted into the chamber, and the inhaler reassembled by replacing the stopper l9 and the closure 20. The device is ready for use as described above.

The inhalers of Figures 1 and 3 may also be packaged with three cartridges, as shown in Figure 7, each having a cover 26. In the case of Figure l, the body l with the enclosed three cartridges is sealed with ordinary stoppers, and for use the stoppers are discarded, the three cartridges removed, one cartridge replaced in the tube without its cap, and the end pieces assembled on the ends of the tube.

In using the inhalers of Figures 1, 3 and '7, the cartridge may be in a position with the screen downwardly or upwardly. With the screen in the down position the patient receives more powder per jolt of the cartridge, and likewise with the screen in the uppermost position the patient receives less powder as the dispensing of the powder is not aided by gravity. If a stop or projection 25, Figure 7, is added to the top closure, a small amount of head-space is left which aids in diluting with air the powder before it enters the person of the user.

Others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditions of service, by em- 3 ploying one or more of the novel features disclosed or equivalents thereof. As at present advised with respect to the scope of my invention I desire to claim the following subject matter.

1. An inhaling device comprising, in combination: a cylindrical tube; duplicate removable closures for the ends of said tube; each closure comprising an internal plug, and an external cap; each of said plugs having an eccentric passage therethrough; each of said caps having an eccentrio passage therethrough, adapted to move into and out of register with the passages of said plugs to permit passage of a stream of air through said tube; said passages being of substantially smaller diameter than said tube; a container for powdered medicament in said tube; said container having a foraminated end for dispensing the powdered contents; and means within said tube to stop the movement of said container abruptly, thereby to release a portion of the medicament therefrom into the stream of air.

2. In combination, in an inhaling device: a cyiindrical tube; a plurality of closures on each end of said tube; means in the nature of registrable passages in said closures to permit a stream of air to pass therethrough; and a powdered medicament container reciprocably reposed in said tube, and axially restrained between said closures; said container having one foraminated end for dispensing the powdered contents thereof, and being otherwise imperforate, and means within said tube to stop the movement of said container abruptly, thereby to release a portion of the medicament therefrom into the stream of air.

3. In an inhaling device, in combination: a cylindrical tube; a slidable container in said tube; said container having one foraminated end and being otherwise imperforate; a charge of pow- 4 dered medicament in said container; duplicate stoppers in each end of said tube; and duplicate closures covering each end of said tube and each of said stoppers; each of said stoppers having an eccentric passage therethrough; each of said closures having an eccentric passage therethrough, available to register with the passage in the adjacent stopper when said closures are rotated, and means within'said tube to'stop the movement of said container abruptly, thereby to release a portion of the medicament therefrom into the stream of air.

4. In an inhaling device, in combination: a cylindrical. tube; a slidably reposed container in said tube; said container having a foraminated end and being otherwise imperforate; a charge of powdered medicament in said container; duplicate cup-shaped stoppers internally closing each end of said tube; and duplicate cup-shaped closures covering each end of said tube and each of said stoppers; each of said stoppers having an eccentric passage therethrough; each of said closures having an eccentric passage therethrough, available to register with a passage in the adjacent stopper when said closures are r0- tated to permit the passage of a stream of air through said tube, and means within said tube to stop the movement of said container abruptly, thereby to release a portion of the medicament therefrom into the stream of air.

LEONARD L. LEONAITIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,426,281 Oakes Aug. 26, 1947 2,470,296 Fields May 17, 1949 

